advice needed upgrading to a new semi-pro camera

Good people - I'm having a heck of a time finding a new camera....
I'd appreciate any advice a replacement for my aging Olympus C-2500L
(2.5Mpx).
I love this camera, but the resolution is now inadequate.

For reference:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ol...c2500l-review/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/c2500.html

The ideal replacement would featu
- 6-8Mpx SLR type
- low noise
- at least 3x optical zoom
- wide angle zoom lens (~28-80mm equiv..)
- optical TTL viewfinder
- available manual white balance, aperture & shutter speed control

- hotshoe, integrated lens and image stabilizer would be a bonus
- file types (jpg, tiff, raw) is not an issue.

I had high hopes for the new Sony DSC-H1
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/so...ew/index.shtml, but like
most newer models, it has an EV vs. TTL viewfinder, focuses on telephoto vs.
wide angle capabilities, and the images seem rather noisy.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
-alu

"alu" wrote in message
...
Good people - I'm having a heck of a time finding a new camera....
I'd appreciate any advice a replacement for my aging Olympus C-2500L
(2.5Mpx).
I love this camera, but the resolution is now inadequate.

For reference:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ol...c2500l-review/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/c2500.html

The ideal replacement would featu
- 6-8Mpx SLR type
- low noise
- at least 3x optical zoom
- wide angle zoom lens (~28-80mm equiv..)
- optical TTL viewfinder
- available manual white balance, aperture & shutter speed control

- hotshoe, integrated lens and image stabilizer would be a bonus
- file types (jpg, tiff, raw) is not an issue.

I had high hopes for the new Sony DSC-H1
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/so...ew/index.shtml, but like
most newer models, it has an EV vs. TTL viewfinder, focuses on telephoto
vs.
wide angle capabilities, and the images seem rather noisy.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
-alu

Really if you want TTL you will probably have to go to an SLR camera.
However the Panasonic FZ20/5 or Canon S2IS will probably do what you want,
don't get too panicked about the 6-8MP.

"Pete D" wrote in message
...

Really if you want TTL you will probably have to go to an SLR camera.
However the Panasonic FZ20/5 or Canon S2IS will probably do what you want,
don't get too panicked about the 6-8MP.

Thanks Pete, The FZs do look interesting, but the key features I'm after are
higher resolution (6-8Mpx) and TTL, otherwise i may as well keep the 2500L.
Folks, will I have to go with an SLR? Say it aint so.
-alu

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 20:11:01 -0400, alu wrote:

Thanks Pete, The FZs do look interesting, but the key features I'm after are
higher resolution (6-8Mpx) and TTL, otherwise i may as well keep the 2500L.
Folks, will I have to go with an SLR? Say it aint so.

You can have an optical viewfinder, or a through-the-lens viewfinder,
but not both -- not with an all-in-one camera.

--
Ben Rosengart (212) 741-4400 x215
Sometimes it only makes sense to focus our attention on those
questions that are equal parts trivial and intriguing.
--Josh Micah Marshall

"Ben Rosengart" wrote
On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 20:11:01 -0400, alu wrote:

Thanks Pete, The FZs do look interesting, but the key features I'm after
are
higher resolution (6-8Mpx) and TTL, otherwise i may as well keep the
2500L.
Folks, will I have to go with an SLR? Say it aint so.

You can have an optical viewfinder, or a through-the-lens viewfinder,
but not both -- not with an all-in-one camera.

--
Ben Rosengart (212) 741-4400
x215
Sometimes it only makes sense to focus our attention on those
questions that are equal parts trivial and intriguing.
--Josh Micah Marshall


Ben,
My mistake terminology - what I'm after ideally is TTL as I have in the
2500, not EV and not optical (point-n-shoot) viewfinder - any suggestions?
-alu

"Ben Rosengart" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 20:11:01 -0400, alu wrote:

Thanks Pete, The FZs do look interesting, but the key features I'm after
are
higher resolution (6-8Mpx) and TTL, otherwise i may as well keep the
2500L.
Folks, will I have to go with an SLR? Say it aint so.

You can have an optical viewfinder, or a through-the-lens viewfinder,
but not both -- not with an all-in-one camera.


The jump from 5MP to 6 MP is negligible the jump up to 8MP is only a little
more than negligible but the price increase is huge. The jump from 6MP to
8MP is 14% and will bearly be noticible unless you are using a very large
magnifiying glass. I do not know all cameras ever manufactured but I doubt
that TTL has been built into an all in one camera or ever will.

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 18:13:01 -0400, "alu" wrote:

Good people - I'm having a heck of a time finding a new camera....
I'd appreciate any advice a replacement for my aging Olympus C-2500L
(2.5Mpx).
I love this camera, but the resolution is now inadequate.

For reference:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ol...c2500l-review/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/c2500.html

The ideal replacement would featu
- 6-8Mpx SLR type
- low noise
- at least 3x optical zoom
- wide angle zoom lens (~28-80mm equiv..)
- optical TTL viewfinder
- available manual white balance, aperture & shutter speed control

- hotshoe, integrated lens and image stabilizer would be a bonus
- file types (jpg, tiff, raw) is not an issue.

I had high hopes for the new Sony DSC-H1
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/so...ew/index.shtml, but like
most newer models, it has an EV vs. TTL viewfinder, focuses on telephoto vs.
wide angle capabilities, and the images seem rather noisy.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
-alu

If you've been satisfied with the Oly C2500 then have you looked at
the C8080??? Might be just what you're looking for!!!

alu wrote:
[]
The ideal replacement would featu
- 6-8Mpx SLR type
- low noise
- at least 3x optical zoom
- wide angle zoom lens (~28-80mm equiv..)
- optical TTL viewfinder
- available manual white balance, aperture & shutter speed control

- hotshoe, integrated lens and image stabilizer would be a bonus
- file types (jpg, tiff, raw) is not an issue.

Nikon 8400 - 8MP, good EVF, 24 - 85mm zoom, fast focussing, hotshoe, all
the manual controls you could want. Both the EVF and LCD finders work
through the lens - I don't you'll find optical TTL without going to a
DSLR, though.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikoncp8400/

David

On Friday 10 June 2005 15:13, alu wrote:

Good people - I'm having a heck of a time finding a new camera....
I'd appreciate any advice a replacement for my aging Olympus
C-2500L (2.5Mpx).
I love this camera, but the resolution is now inadequate.

For reference:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ol...c2500l-review/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/c2500.html

The ideal replacement would featu
- 6-8Mpx SLR type
- low noise
- at least 3x optical zoom
- wide angle zoom lens (~28-80mm equiv..)
- optical TTL viewfinder
- available manual white balance, aperture & shutter speed control

- hotshoe, integrated lens and image stabilizer would be a bonus
- file types (jpg, tiff, raw) is not an issue.

Sounds like you've reached the point to upgrade to a DSLR. Canon's CMOS
sensor has very low noise, lower than Nikon, that's why I picked a
Canon DSLR over Nikon's even though my 35mm film equipment is Nikon.

The Canon Digital Rebel 300D is a nice cost effective choice in a new
6MP camera -- about $700 US for the body from B&H Photo. I don't think
the extra $200 for the 8MP XT model is worth the extra money.

If you can consider a used camera, then the Canon D60 is an excellent
choice in 6MP. Available on eBay for around $500. Or its replacement,
the 10D.

And, FWIW, I got a used Canon D30 last summer to add quality digital to
my photo bag of tricks, and even though it's only a 3MP camera, the
image quality, because of the larger sensor and very low noise, among
other things, is considerably better than the 3MP Olympus 3030Z I have.

--
Stefan Patric
NoLife Polymath Group

In article _UJqe.9785$tr.2599@fed1read03,
Stefan Patric wrote:
On Friday 10 June 2005 15:13, alu wrote:

Good people - I'm having a heck of a time finding a new camera....
I'd appreciate any advice a replacement for my aging Olympus
C-2500L (2.5Mpx).
I love this camera, but the resolution is now inadequate.

[ ... requirements snipped ... ]

Sounds like you've reached the point to upgrade to a DSLR.

Of course, since you posted this to a DSLR-only newsgroup, you
should expect this answer. :-)

Canon's CMOS
sensor has very low noise, lower than Nikon, that's why I picked a
Canon DSLR over Nikon's even though my 35mm film equipment is Nikon.

While my option was to go for the Nikon D70, in part because I
already had quite a bit of Nikon glass. If you do not have any lenses,
you can choose based purely on what is right for you at this point in
time.

I would suggest that you go to a photo store (if there are good
ones wherever you live), and actually *handle* all of the candidates. I
know that I find the D70 to be a very comfortable camera to use
(admittedly, I've used Nikons for a long time, so I am accustomed to how
they do things).

I have read some reports of the smaller Cannons (Rebel 300 and
350) not feeling right to some who have tried them. Sometimes it is a
complaint that they feel too "plastic-y", and sometimes that it is simply
too small a camera for their hands. But I have seen one complaint
(from a non-SLR user) that the Digital Rebel feels too *large* and
*heavy* for them -- so it is all subjective. Find what works for you.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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